Student Life

Community meeting

The Stevenson students and faculty gather in the lobby on Friday afternoons during Community Meeting to look back at the week that has been and look forward to the weeks ahead. The Student Council President and Vice President list off announcements and a clinician leads the group in a mindfulness activity. Winners of the prestigious Student of the Week award are presented their certificates by their advisors. Faculty and administration share any other relevant information with the student body heading into the weekend before dismissal. 

Student Council

In addition to running Community Meeting, the Stevenson Student Council has a great impact on Stevenson and its students. The Student Council has traditionally planned the annual Stevenson prom while also running a canteen and a breakfast bar. Math teacher Daniel Aulbach-Sidibe oversees the group and spearheads many of its initiatives. The Student Council oversees the elections for the following year's Student Council and meets with Head of School Chris Ongaro to discuss pressing issues relevant to the Stevenson student body.

Field Day

The Stevenson student body participates in an annual late September Field Day at a campsite in northern New Jersey. Students work on team-building activities with their advising groups and enjoy a cookout. The day is especially meaningful for the seniors, all of whom tackle a challenging ropes course.

Rock Band

Perhaps the most unique class offering at Stevenson is Rock Band. Founded over ten years ago and run by history teacher Jose Sanchez, Rock Band provides students with musical aspirations the chance to cover famous songs and learn about music history. "My role essentially is to facilitate - to make things run smoothly for the kids, to inspire, to organize, to give them confidence, and to instill the values of hard work," Sanchez says. The band spends one class period four days a week practicing in the Stevenson basement gym. There are periodic performances in the building lobby once or twice per quarter for the entire Stevenson community to enjoy. The music that the band plays ranges from grunge to hip hop, from soul music to classic rock. In recent years, the band has performed songs by Nirvana, The Cranberries, Nina Simone, Alice in Chains, and the Notorious B.I.G, among others. Auditions for the band are held in the spring for the following fall and all interested students must sign up to audition. Adds Sanchez: "We come together in a real democratic, supportive, even familial way."

Field Trip

The Stevenson faculty take students on various trips that augment and bolster in-class learning. For example, Stevenson Economics teacher Heidi Olson takes one of her classes on an annual trip to the Federal Reserve. English teacher Rebecca Margolies takes the seniors on an annual trip to the New York Public Library, so that students getting ready for college can sharpen their research skills. Art teacher Mitchell Martinez often takes students to see exhibits at various museums around New York City. Then there are advising field trips during which specific advising groups experience New York City in ways that are fun and build camaraderie.

Clubs

Stevenson offers a wide variety of clubs to its students. Students have participated in recent years in after-school clubs like tabletop gaming, Dungeons and Dragons, Stevenson Press, and sportswriting. These clubs usually take place in the building for 60-90 minutes immediately after school and are run by faculty members with expertise and interest in the given topic. Faculty also oversee lunchtime clubs like GSX, which promotes equality in gender and sexuality, and BLU (the Black and Latinx student union). GSX and BLU are inclusive clubs that aim to foster an appreciation for diversity among the student body and the world at large. 

Ski Trip

The Stevenson School deeply values outdoor education and how it can contribute to a student’s well-being. Our school has a long-standing tradition of bringing students outside of the classroom and into the great outdoors. 

Stevenson students report that the ski trip helps elevate their self-confidence and interpersonal skills. This outdoor experience, together with the skills developed make the ski trip a valuable educational experience for both Stevenson students and faculty.

Thanksgiving meal

Stevenson has a Tuesday before Thanksgiving tradition during which there’s a schoolwide gathering to share Thanksgiving food. Members of the staff and administration serve chicken, rice, french fries, and vegetables, so students won’t tire of turkey and mashed potatoes. Students were responsible for bringing in desserts. Advising groups combined for the meal, so the students could foster community togetherness before departing for the holiday.